Yesterday the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether LGBTQ Americans can be fired for no other reason than their sexual orientation or gender identity. This baffles me and frightens me.
Many people claim their religious freedom is at stake. Their freedom to practice their religion should give them the right to refuse service to someone, to refuse to hire someone, to fire someone or to deny them housing. They are using the bible to justify discrimination.
This is the same argument used to justify slavery. It was used to justify racism and miscegenation. And the bible is used to justify discrimination against the LGBTQ community.
I am not a scholar of the Bible by any stretch of the imagination. I’m not here to argue Biblical verses. What I am is the mother of a gay son. I’m mother-in-law to his husband. I’m an advocate for the LGBTQ community and parents of LGBTQ children.
The idea that nine people in black robes have the fate of my son and all those in the community I love in their hands is beyond understanding. No one’s religious freedom should allow them to discriminate against another human being. It is not right and as far as I can tell, it is not what the bible was meant to be used for.
I find so many of those who espouse their religious freedom to be arrogant or sheepish followers of someone who told them they were right and we were wrong. They are entitled to their beliefs. I don’t deny them that.
We are entitled to our freedoms, the ones given each and every one of us by the Constitution. It doesn’t say all men are created equal, except… There is no exception. Equality is equality.
My son and his husband posted this on Facebook. It is exactly how I feel.
“…today the Supreme Court is hearing arguments as to why it should STILL be legal for me to be fired for being gay. Once again, my humanity is up for debate among 9 justices – none of whom are LGBT. This should not be who we are in 2019.” ~Jamie McGonnigal
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